Nose and sinus rinse
sinus rinse · nasal irrigation · Proetz sinus wash · sinus flush
An ENT doctor rinses your nose and sinuses with a salt or medicated solution to clear out mucus and pus. No needles and no cuts.
For a runny nose, sinusitis, or enlarged adenoids, when your nose is blocked and the mucus does not come out on its own.
⏱ Duration: one session usually takes 10 to 15 minutes; a course is usually 5 to 10 sessions
Be sure to tell your doctor
How to prepare
- Preparation. No special preparation is needed. You can eat, but avoid a big meal for 1 hour before. You may gag.
- Nose. Blow your nose before the procedure. The doctor will put in drops that reduce swelling.
- For children. Tell your child ahead of time that it will feel a bit wet and tickly, but it will not hurt.
What to bring
- Your referral
- Sinus X-rays or CT scan, if you had them
- Tissues
How it goes
- You sit or lie down, with your head tilted back a little
- The doctor puts drops in your nose to reduce swelling and waits a few minutes
- Warm solution is slowly poured into one nostril
- A machine suctions it out of the other nostril together with mucus
- To keep the solution out of your throat, you are asked to keep saying 'coo-coo'
- Then the same is done on the other side
What you'll feel
- A feeling of water in your nose and pressure at the bridge of your nose
- Your eyes may water and you may want to sneeze. This is normal
- It should not hurt. If it feels bad, signal the doctor
Afterwards
- Some solution may drip from your nose for 10 to 20 minutes
- For about 1 hour, stay out of frost and cold wind
- Breathing usually gets easier after the first few sessions
Contact a doctor straight away if
- Swelling and redness around the eye, a bad headache, or a high fever: see a doctor right away
- A nosebleed that does not stop in 20 minutes: call emergency services
Common questions
Why do I say 'coo-coo' during the rinse?
It makes the soft palate close the way to your throat, so the solution does not drain there. That is why some people call it the 'cuckoo' rinse.
Is the rinse a sinus puncture?
No. The solution is poured in and suctioned out through the nostrils, with no needles or punctures.